prices rose in 18 of the 20 largest cities. tonight, 88-year-old george h.w. bush remains in a hospital in houston where he's been since last month battling a bad cough. the former president now has a persistent fever. bob orr joins us now from washington with details. bob. >> reporter: good evening, jim. well, a spokesman for the bush family says that former president george h.w. bush is in "guarded condition," with that stubborn fever you mentioned that's not responding well to tylenol. the 88-year-old former president is on a liquid diet, and tonight he's in an intensive care unit at the houston hospital where he's been battling bronchitis and a series of setbacks over the past month or so. the spokesman said mr. bush's condition seems a little bit worse than it was on sunday, but he noted at the same time it's a bit better than it was yesterday. we're told he doesn't have very much energy, but his doctors are said to be "cautiously optimistic," and they believe they have all of his health issues in hand. jim. >> axelrod: thank you, bob. the news is better